Change-speed gearing for engine-lathes.



PATBNTED JAN. 23, 1906.

H.-L. PLATHBR.

QHANGB SPEED GBARING FOR ENGINE LATHES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY19. 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED JAN. 23, 1906.

- H.- L. FLATHER.

CHANGE SPEED GBARING FOR ENGINE LATHES.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 19, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

6 M4 1 1 k\ :Z 1 w NQ (Jilesses Milan/(9'5 No. 810,634. PATENTED JAN. 23, 1906 H. L. FLATHBR. CHANGE SPEED GEA'RING FOR ENGINE LATHES.

APPLICATION FILED HAY19. 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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No. 810,634. PATIENTED JAN. 23, 1906.

H. L. PLATHER.

CHANGE SPEED GEARING FOR ENGINE LATHES. APPLIOATIOI! FILED MAY 19. 1905.

4 $HEETS SHEET 4.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 23, 1906.

Application filed May 19, 1905. Serial No. 281,190.

' cation.

This invention'relates to a change-speed gearing designed to provide. a variety of speed changes secured by simple and direct adjustments without the removal or replace ment of parts. v

This change-speed gearing hasbeen especially designed for engine-lathes, although it may be otherwise employed, if desired.

The detail object of this invention is to provide a change-speed gearing, especiallyfor eninelathes, which can be economically manua'ctured and .put in place and which can be manipulated to actuate either a lead-screw or feed-rod and which will have the capac-.

ity of producing a greater number of speed changes in a simpler and more direct manner than devices of this kind which have heretofore been employed.

To these ends this invention consists of the change-speed gearing and ,of the combination of parts therewith, as and more particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying'four sheets of drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of an enginelathe provided with a change-speed gearing constructed according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the head-stock portion of the lathe. Fig. 3 is an end view thereof. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3 of the gear-box, which incloses the primary speed-train and which can be clamped in different positions to act as a sweep. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the change-speed gear-boxs Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the primary shaft of the gear-box, and Fig. 8 is a detail view of the retaining-catch' for holding either one of its three positions.

In that class of chan engine-lathes to which this invention relates the older constructions employ two speedchanging trains. In these constructions the resulting number of speed changes equals the product of the number of changes secured by the feed-trains. In modern machine-shop practice it has been found desirable to prohave invented a new' hereinafter described,

the triple clutch in.

e-speed gearing for vide even more speed-change trains, and in a number of instances it has already been proposed to provide change-speed gearing with three change-gear trains, so-that the number of speed changes may be still further multiplied. In a chan e-speed gearing for enginelathes constructs according to my invention I preferably provide a three-train changes eed caring, which comprises a train from t e lat e-spindle,having one compound gear, which may shift laterally, and a gear-box at the front of the lathe, having two speed-changing trainstherein. In an engine-lathe constructed according to my invention the total possible number of speed changes is equal to the product of the number of the changes in the primary speed-changing train multiplied by the number of changes secured .by first speed changin the mechanism of the gear-box and then mu tiplied by the number of changes of the second speed-changing mechanism of the gear-box. In practiceI have designed aconv struction to secure a possible total of fiftyfour speed changes, very few, if any, of which need be duplicates, and I have designed the parts to secure this result with a simple and direct mechanism comprising comparatively few gears or other parts. Referring to the drawings and in detail, as shown in Fig. 1, the engine-lathe herein illus trated comprises a lathe-bed A, a head-stock B, a tail-stock C, and a traveling carriage D. The traveling carria e D-may be actuated by the feed-rod 10 or t efeed-screw 11. Jour .naled in the head-stock is a shaft 12 which is driven from the head-stock spindle by means of tumbler-gears 13, which are arranged to turn the shaft in either direction. These tumbler-gears consist of two intermediate gears arranged on alever mounted on the shaft 12, one of which intermeshes or engages a'pinion on the shaftlZ and by rocking said lever power can be taken through one or both of said intermediates to secure either direction of feed desired. This is a common construction in lathes and is not detailed herein, as it forms no part of the present invention. The tumbler-gears may be shifted by a handle 14. As shown most clearly in Fig. 4, the shaft 12 is journaled in a bushing 15, which extends from the head-stock. Mounted to swing on the bushing 15 is a box or gear-casing which incloses the gearing forming the primary speed-change train'of a lathe equipped according to my invention. As herein illustratsd, this box or gear-casing consists of a int ' casting 16 and a coverlate or casting 18.

The parts 16 and 18 are I forms the bearingof an intermediate gear of stud be set to proper astened together by a stud 20 and by small tap-,bolts t. (Shown in Fig. 3.), The stud 20, which fastens the body 16 and cover 18 of the gear-box, also projections, so that the stud can be moved to different positions and lyet will hold the parts ri idly together when its nuts are tightened. T e gears inclosed in this gear-casing comprise a driving-gear 2 secured on the shaft 12, a double intermediate consisting of a large gear 22, and a small gear 23, carried by a sleeve on the stud 20. The large gear 22 and the small ear 23 a e separated from each other a sufl icient dis ance to receive the gear 25. The gear i ,mounted on a sleeve, which also carries smaller gear 24. The sleeve carryin the ear 24 and-smaller gear 25 is journale on a tud 17 and may also be shifted endwise ther on. When this double gear is in the positio illustrated in Fig. 4, the power is transmitt d through the smaller gear 24. B movin the double gear transversely the larger section 25 may be drawn into-mesh with the gear 23, and the sleeve is provided with a knurled handle for this purpose. As shown in Fig. 3, the swinging gearsets of speed-changin ox inclosing this primary speedschanging train may be shifted to different positions and may be fastened by a tap-bolt 57. By

'means of this construction the gear-box serves the purpose of a sweep, permitting the substitution of different gears 26, which are to .be driven "from the gear 25' of the primary speed-ehangingtrain. The second and third devices are housed Within a gear-box at t e front of the lathebed. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, 27 designates the gear-box, which may be bolted or otherwise secured/to the lathe-bed. J ournaled in bearings in the gear-box 27 are three shafts 28, 29, and 30. The shaft 28, as shown in Fig. 7, carries the gear 26, which is driven from the primary s eed-train. Carried by the shaft 28 and -pre erably formed by cutting ear-teeth therein is along pinion 31, longitu inally movable u on which is a hub 32. Journaled in the hub 32'is a shaft carrying the sliding and swinging intermediate 33. The intermediate gear 33 can be shifted longitudinally and then turned up into engagement with any one of a number of cars secured upon the secondar shaft 29 o the gear-box. I have rovide simple and convenient guiding andlocking meansfor settin the intermediate 33 to secure different desired speed changes. As shown most dlearly in Fig.

5 34 designates the setting-lever for shifting and rocking the hub 32. Coiiperatin with' the lever 34 is a setting-strip 35, whic may be formed with or bolted to theunder side of. the front edge of the gear-box 27. The setting-strip 35 is provided with notches for receiving a spline or key 36 of the lever 34. By

the .use of this setting-strip 35 and the cooperating key or spline 36 the lever can be raised to swing this intermediate 33 into operative position only when the parts occu y suitablerelative ositions, and in order to iold up the shiftin -l ever when its pinion has been thrown proper y into mesh I have rovided the lever 34 with a spring-pressed loclfing-pin 37, which may be engaged with any one of a series of holes in the front plate of the gear-box.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 6, a number of gears arranged ste -like are fastened upon the intermediate shat 29 of the gear-box. In practice I have employed a center gear 38, with a series of gears of smaller diameters at one side thereon and with a series of gears of larger diameters at the other side thereon. A gapis left between the center gear 38 and the step-like gears at each side thereof. A third speed-change instrumentality is employed between the shaft 29 of the gear-box and the top shaft 30 thereof.

As shown in Fig. 6, a clutch-section 39 is mounted loosely u on the shaft 30 and carries a gear 40, meslili'ng with the smallest one of the gears arranged step-like u )on the shaft 6 29. A

so mounte upon the sha t 30 and run-- 'ning loosely thereon is a clutch-section 41,

carrying a gear 42, which meshes with the larg-' est one of the gears arranged step-like on the shaft 29. Between the two clutch-sections 39 and 41 is a shifting clutch mechanism whichis keyed onto the shaft, but is movable longitudinally thereon.

'Ihe shifting-clutch device com rises a clutch-face 46, cooperating with tie loose ICC clutch-section 39, a clutch-face 44, cooperating with the loose clutch-face 41, and a gear 45, which meshes with the center gear 38 when the shifting-clutch device is in its central osition, as shown in Fig. 6.

When the shifting clutch device is moved to the right from the position shown in Fig. 6, the clutch-faces 44 and 41 will be brought into engagement and the to shaft of the gear-box will be driven from t 1e lar est gear. on the shaft 29. When the shiftin clutch device movedto the left from the positionshown in Fig. 6, the clutch-faces 39 and 46 will be brought into engagement and the shaft 30 will be driven from the smallest one of the step-like series of gears on the shaft 29.

The body portion of the movable clutch section is provided'with a groove, and'fitting into this groove is-a shiftin the lever 47. In order to hold the movable clutch device in any one of its three positions, I usually rovide a'sn'iall spring-pressed plunger 48, (s own in 8,) which may engage i me to get fas tively little in. size.

lead-screw 11 For example, as shown in Fig. 2, the shaft 30 may be provided with a moved to the to the leadclutch-piece 50, which when right Will couple the shaft 30 screw 11, while carried by the clutch-piece 50 is a gear 49, which will mesh with the driving-gear 51 on the feed-rod when ordinary turning operations are desired.

In a complete engine lathe as thus equipped it will be seen that I have provided a form of construction in which the primary speed-change train at the head of the lathe is inclosed in a box or casing, that this box or casing will not interfere with the use of special gears inasmuch as the gear-box. itself forms the adjustable sweep, which may be clamped in different positions, according to the size of the gear which it is found necessary to employ. It will also. be seen that the gear-box secured to the front of the lathe-bed provides two additional sets of speed-change mechanisms and that three of the sets of gears arranged step-like upon the intermediate shaft of the gear-box are utilized for securing three different driving speeds-of the top shaft of the gear-box. It will also beobserved that by the proportions of the parts which I have adopted I have secured an exceedingly strong and efficient arrangement enabling fifty-four different speed changes by the use of a comparatively small number of gears, which gears are all-of comparatively small diameters and which vary compara- It is still further to be observed that my speed-change gearing for engine-lathes constitute,'in effect, an attachment which may be put onto ordinary engine-lathes without changing or interfering with the usual arrangement of parts, that part of my speed-change gearing may be finished at the bench, and extremely little machine work is required upon the lathe-bed or lathe itself.

I am aware that numerous changes may be made in practicing my invention by those who are skilled in the art and that changes may be made in proportions and arrangements of parts. For example, while I have shown the gear-box at the front of the lathe as consisting of a single casting I may prefer to use a construction that may be made up of several parts, and in lathes which are intended for cutting screw-threads measured under the metric system instead of driving into theseries of gears arranged step-like this arrangement may be reversed. I do not wish," therefore, to be limited to the particular lathe which I have herein shown and described; but.

What I do claim, and desire tov secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a change-speedlgearing, the combination of a driven shaft, a swinging gear-box having an opening in the periphery thereof, a train of gearing inclosed in the gear-box and turned by the driven shaft, and means for clamping the gear-box in a plurality of different operative positions to act as a sweep with the last gear of the train in engagement with gears of different sizes. 7

2. In a change-speed gearing,

'nation of a driven shaft, a sweep pivoted concentrically with respect to the driven shaft, a train of gears carried by the sweep, means for fastening the sweep in aplurality of different operative positions to set thelast gear of the train into engagement with gears of different sizes, said train including a compound gear and a transversely-shiftable compound gear.

3. In a change-speed gearing, the comb1 nation of a driven shaft, a gear-box hungto swing upon a center concentric with said shaft, said gear-box comprising a casting and cover-plate therefor, a stud holding the coverplate in place, said stud being mounted so that it may be adjusted to diff erent positions,

the driven shaft, and a train of gears mounted' in the gear-box and turned from said gear on the driven-shaft, one of said gears of said train being journaled on the stud which fastens the parts of the gear-box together. j

4. In achange-speed gearing, the combination of a driven shaft, a gear on the driven shaft, a sweep pivoted to swing on a center concentric with the driven shaft, a train of gears mounted on the sweep,

a gear fastened on train into engagement with gears of different sizes, said train including a double gear having sections of two different diameters, and a transversely-shiftable gear also having sections of two different diameters.

5; In a change-speed gearing, the co1nbi nation of a driven shaft, a gear on the driven shaft, a sweep mounted. to swing on a center and means for fastening the sweep in a plurality of different operative positions to set the last gear of the the combiconcentric'with the driven shaft, a train of gears mounted on the sweep including a compound gear having partsof different diameters, either part of which may be driven from the previous double gear of the train, a widefaced gear meshing with and driven from the transversely-shiftable gear on the sweep, and means for adjusting the sweep in different positions, whereby use will be permitted of wide-faced gears of different diameters.

' 6. In a change-speed gearing, the combination of a driven shaft, a swinging gear-box having an opening in the periphery thereof; a train of gearing inclosed in said gear-box'and turned by the driven shaft, means for clamping the gear-box in different ositions to act as a sweep by swinging the ast gear of the train into engagement with gears of different sizes, and a second speed changing train 'rzo driven from the gears in the sweep and comprising a set of gears arranged steplike, and a swinging gear which can be set into mesh with the desired one of the gears arranged step-like. I

7. In a change-speed gearing, the combi nation of a driven shaft, a shaft to be driven therefrom, three gears fastened on the driven shaft, two gears loosely mounted on the shaft to be driven, and meshing with the end gears on the driven shaft, and a clutch-piece turning with and longitudinally movable on theshaft to be driven, said clutch-piece having provision for making connection with the end gears when thrown to the limits of its movement, and having a gear for meshing with the middle gear on the driven shaft when the clutch-piece occupies an intermediate position.

8. In a change-speed gearing, the combination of a gear-box, three shafts mounted therein, a transversely-movableshiftable lever pivoted concentrically with the driving shaft, a series of gears arranged step-.like on the intermediate shaft, a gear carried by the lever and adapted to engage any one of the series of gears arranged step-like on the intermediate shaft and a change-speed connection with the shaft to be driven comprising loose clutch-sections driven from two of the gears arranged step-like on the intermediate piece having clutch-teeth for making connection with the end gears when thrown to the limits of its movement, and having'a gear meshing with the middle gear on the first shaft when the clutch-piece occupies an interm ediate position. 10. In a ghange-s'peed gearing, the comb1- nation of a driven shaft, a gear on the driven shaft, a gear-box pivoted to swingon a center.

concentric with the driven shaft, a train of gears inclosed in the gear-box and including a transversely-shiftable compound gear, either section of which may be driven, means for clamping the gear-box in different adjusted positions to act as a sweep, a gear-box secured to the front of the lathe-bed, 'three shafts mounted'in the gear-box, a wide-faced gear on one of said shafts meshing with the final gear of the train carried by the swing:

ing gear-box, a set of gears arranged step-like on the intermediate shaft, a shiftinglever, a transversely-movable intermediate thereon which can be set into engagement with any one of the gears arranged step-like, and changespeed gearing between the intermediate shaft and final gear, comprisingend gears loosely mounted on the third shaft and driven from the intermediate shaft, and a movable clutch piece mounted on the third shaft and having provision for making connection with the loose gears when at the limits of motion in opposite directions, and having a gear meshing with one .of the gears on the intermediate shaft when the clutch-piece occupies an in- Y termediate position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERBERT L. FLATHER.

Witnesses:

PHILIP W. SOUTHGATE, K. E. HoY. 

